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Message From The Executive Director

Safety, Acceptance, Respect, Understanding, Helpfulness, Empowerment, and Input
In my shared duties as a counsellor and Executive Director of the Pembina Counselling Centre, we strive together as trained clinicians to leave you with this kind of experience. For each of us it really is not just a job, but a privilege to get to know you and to journey with you. Everyone is coming from their unique situation in life and so you will all have your own specific needs. Counsellors have to get to know each client individually to relate effectively to your purposes for seeking help. So we will collaborate together with you to explore your issues of concern. Whether it is to process aspects of your life in order to make sense of what you are going through, to find hope again, gain direction, or find support to encourage you along the way. Experiencing you as an individual in the context of where we can help. This matches the life mission which each of us as counsellors with Pembina Counselling Centre aspires to.

I am on a journey as well. I consider myself a lifelong learner and seeker of wisdom. I get excited when I gain insight into how things work. I believe there is hope for everyone in every situation, because I believe God loves everyone and is passionate about restoring people. So no matter what your concern, you’re invited to come and talk about it with one of our counsellors. We are ready to journey with you.

Paul Penner, M.A., CCS, PACCPExecutive Director

PCC is Board governed. All Counsellors have their Masters degree in Counselling and are registered members with PACCP.

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Angela Lussier

M.A. Counselling

Individual Therapy

Available in Morden

Angela holds a Masters degree in Counselling. Following her education, she worked as a Teaching Assistant to help train other counsellors with the counselling faculty at Providence Seminary. During this time she also maintained a practice. Angela comes highly recommended by her clinical colleagues for her ability to connect well with people from a wide variety of backgrounds.

Angela has had a lifelong interest in health and healing and has always enjoyed listening to people share their own unique story. Foundational to her work is the belief in the resiliency of the human spirit. As a cancer survivor, Angela brings an acute understanding of pain as well as a hopeful view of the future. She is genuine, compassionate and provides a safe space to explore hard things.

Her approach to therapy is holistic and collaborative, she believes in working together to help clients discover new ways to overcome the struggles they face. Angela makes it her goal to understand each individual from their frame of reference and provides encouragement, support and thoughtful insight. She provides individual therapy to youth and adults and has experience working with a range of issues such as Anxiety/ Depression, Relationship Issues, Grief, Trauma, Anger Management, Life transitions, Chronic Pain or Illness and Low Self Esteem and Body Image Issues.

Angela considers it a privilege to journey with those who are struggling and has worked in partnership with Pembina Counselling Centre since June 2012.

Christine Elias

M.A. Counselling

Individual, Couples, Marriage and Family Therapy

Available in Morden and Winkler

Christine is new to Pembina Counselling Centre and a recent graduate of Providence Theological Seminary. She holds a Masters degree in Counselling. Christine is a wife and mother of four, who has made her home in this community for more than twenty years.

As a teenager and young adult, Christine had always felt pulled in the direction of the social sciences and imagined that one day she would become a trained helper and person who encourages. Throughout her life, Christine has often found herself on the receiving end of other people’s personal stories. It is these experiences and Christine’s love for people that have developed into her passion for accompanying others as they work through life’s challenges. Christine has been described as a good listener, who is kind, caring, and non-judgemental.

Christine believes in working together with her clients; providing them with a safe place, a fresh perspective, practical tools and strategies, and support. Christine finds it a privilege to collaborate with her clients as they make changes and work towards their personal goals.

Christine approaches her work as a counsellor with a humble confidence. A confidence that what she has learned and experienced through her own life experiences and through her education at Providence, is valuable and has equipped her to be helpful to others. And the humility to hold loosely what she thinks she knows; with the recognition that she will continue to learn from those with whom she journeys.

Dennis Fehr

M.Div., CSAYC (Credentialed Sexually Abusive Youth Clinician)

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Provider for:
Manitoba Blue Cross, Homewood Health, Lifeworks, ComPsych International Inc., Solareh, Morneau Shepell, Green Shields Canada, SSQ, and a direct provider for multiple local business directs EAPs. Services through Compensation of Victims of Crime may also be provided upon approval.

Dennis holds a Master’s Degree in Pastoral Counselling and has Bachelor Degrees in Theology and Psychology. After graduate studies, Dennis worked for two large non-profit mental health providers in Northwest Indiana, USA. He offered therapy addressing adolescent substance abuse, mood, anxiety, and adjustment disorders. Dennis went on to receive specialized training in the treatment of sexually maladaptive youth. He then became the lead therapist for a sexually maladaptive residential unit, providing individual, group and family therapy for this client population. Dennis developed vast experience working alongside probation services, Child and Family Service agencies, school systems, and also worked as a trainer/ educator for new staff and other service providers working with sexually abused and abusive youth.

In his teens, Dennis realized he had a concern for others and a gift for connecting with people. This led to roles as a Camp Counsellor; group home youth care worker and pastoral ministry. All of these experiences shaped Dennis’ work as a therapist, who places great importance on connecting with clients and the unique experiences that have impacted their lives.

Dennis works from a cognitive-behavioural perspective, incorporating psychodynamic, developmental, strength and solution based models. He strives to create a strong therapeutic relationship with each client, establish a common understanding of causal factors and identify the core issues needing clinical attention. A collaborative strategy for improved coping and the development of healthier living patterns are essential elements in Dennis’ approach to therapeutic recovery. In this manner, Dennis has experience addressing several issues: marital and family conflict, past and current issues of abuse, substance abuse, mood disorders, anger and aggression, life transitions, and issues of poor self-concept.

For Dennis, it is a sacred trust to journey with people in the midst of crises and hardship, as they open themselves to share and explore their struggles. PCC is a place that journeys with people in need…whether their concerns are psychological, emotional or spiritual. Dennis is excited to be part of PCC’s mission to serve the needs of the community in offering quality clinical and spiritual care. Dennis has been working with PCC clients since October 2011.

Wayne Banman

M.Div., M.A., CPC

Individual, Couples, Marriage and Family Therapy

Available in Morden

Wayne is the Founder and Director of InherentDesign Ministries and works in partnership with Pembina Counselling Centre. This partnership began in 2001 and has successfully continued over the past years. Prior to that Wayne worked in an outpatient setting for the Margaret Cochenour Hospital in Red Lake and area, Director for Northern Eagle Education Program (for The Red Lake Board of Education), Private Practice and a variety of church settings.

Soul Care is how Wayne describes the process of counselling. Caring for the souls of others through Soul Talk represents his approach to counselling which is typically known as Talk Therapy. At PCC Wayne provides individual, couple, and family therapy for people seeking healing and growth for themselves and their significant relationships.

With training in the area of Critical Incident Stress and Post Trauma Syndromes, Wayne has also intervened in various situations for local institutions. He has taught courses on Masculinity, Femininity, Marriage, Family, and Soul Talk, the language of the heart.

Wayne has been a practicing therapist since 1981 and fully enjoys the process of connection, healing, and growth. He finds nothing more rewarding than to be a part of another human’s healing and growth, when they embrace the Soul Care experience.

On a personal note Wayne and Phyllis have 5 children (all grownups) and 8 grandchildren. He loves sports, especially hockey, ball and fishing. Wayne & Phyllis make their home near Morden.

Paul Penner

M.A. Counselling, CCS

Individual, Couples, Marriage, Family and EMI Therapy

Available in Morden and Winkler

Paul has been practicing as a full time professional counsellor since 1986 and moved to Morden in 1997 to continue counselling with Pembina Counselling Centre as Executive Director. Training at Grace Seminary, IN and Providence Seminary (formerly Winnipeg Theological Seminary, MB), provides a view of people, problems, and solutions that offers hope to all, no matter the situation. His aspiration and personal mission is to value people investing his time, energy and resources in order to awaken their capacities, to enrich what has been awakened, and to empower people toward their potential, as far as he has a role in doing so.

Over the years, Paul has sought training that equips him to work with a broad range of problems. Some examples include: issues of addiction; mood disorders including depression, anxiety and anger; parenting concerns; spiritual issues; marital and family problems; communication; crisis intervention; critical incident stress management; eating disorders; grieving; issues of abuse, Eye Movement Integration Therapy and more. Paul finds it a great privilege to be entrusted with the concerns of clients and to connect & ally with them in their efforts to get help.